This is sure to ruffle the hardcore Android open-source supporters, but this should only be seen as a firm hand that Google will raise, to give its brand some actual credit, where credit is due.

What I’m talking about exactly is the inclusion of “Powered by Android” in the bootscreen (when you turn on the phone after it’s completely turned off). HTC seems to be the first to include it with the new One M8, meaning that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 — which in its debut press conference, did not mention Android at all — will undoubtedly include it.

How does any tech publication know this? Because of a manufactures wishes to include Google services on an Android phone (the Play Store, for example), they will be required to include the stamp; no exceptions.

Microsoft Office for iPad is finally available, officially, after all the years the iPad has been the dominant consumer tablet device.

The app itself is completely free and includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, so that docs for each application can be viewed easily, however if one wants to actually do some edits, an Office subscription will be required. Also, a five tablet limit will be placed on the user’s license, so there’s additional an limitation.

How much is that Office subscription, you might ask: $7 every month or $1.67 if you’re a student using Office 365 for University. Or, you could just use Apple’s iWork suite, which is free.

But what could better be expected of a phone wrapped in brushed aluminum, with no visible screws? The torturers engineers at iFixit have come across an HTC One M8 of their own, and decidedly took it apart, piece by piece. It turns out that the specs told by HTC are in fact, inside the phone without a doubt.

However, the new One scored a 2 out of 10 in their repairability scale, making it ludicrously difficult for an end-user to repair on their own.

Out of the 200 million total Instagram users, 50 million of them joined only within the last six months. The result is a great statistic: 20 billion photos shared on Instagram, since its birth. It’s also worth noting that Instagram can welcome Oculus to the family, since they’re also part of Facebook now.

Facebook has just announced through their newsroom that the company is buying Oculus VR, the company behind the development of the Oculus Virtual Reality headset.

Keep in mind the acquisition not only includes the company itself, buy the partners its acquired over this past year, along with all the game studies, like EA and the maker’s of EVE.

For how much exactly? To the tune of a solid $2 billion: $400 million in cash along with about $1.6 billion in stock.

Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus, as quoted by Mark Zuckerberg:

But this is just the start. After games, we’re going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home.

This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.

The places a partnership like this can go are far and wide. Honestly, this actually could be considered exciting.

As seen in the previous post, the All New HTC One M8 has plenty of tricks in its aluminum frame. Dual cameras, a 5-inch 1080p screen, and Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Sense 6 aside, the new One is perhaps the highest-quality Android phone ever produced. Everything about it beams of premium and refined, and in the hand, especially with the addition of rounded edges.

Camera-wise, the focus was very consistent and took little to no time at all. Definitively, there’s an excellent feel that you get when you handle the HTC One M8 for the first time, and continue to do so. Thankfully, there’s also the characteristic where the M8 doesn’t appear too shiny, yet is very glossed over and polished; kind of like a Swiss chronograph.

There’s no harm done with official developer and Google Play Edition versions of the top-tier smartphone. The new HTC One will be offered by Google without Sense 6, as a pure Google phone (however there will be support for HTC’s APIs which control the dual cameras), while HTC will provide a developer model designed to be easily rooted and manipulated software-wise.

Both versions of the new HTC One will be available March 25th, with the Developer Edition selling for $650 direct from HTC’s site, while Google will be hawking the Play Edition for $699.

HTC successfully kicked off a press event in two locations, simultaneously — London and New York City. In doing so, the All New HTC One M8 (yes, that’s the full name) has been announced for the 2014 year. HTC’s new flagship smartphone has a 5-inch 1080p OLED screen, a 5 megapixel front-facing camera, IR blaster, and microSD card slot.

Google wants to truly bring Google Glass mainstream — yes, it’s been obvious, but never more so than now. The parent company of Oakley and Ray-Ban, Luxottica, has both signed onto a deal that allows for Glass to be implemented into an exclusive line of eyewear that utilizes the technology, with availability only in the United States at launch. Luxottica will handle manufacture and distribution, while Google does what it does best: refining the Glass technology.

Now, here comes the hammer: this won’t happen soon.

It’s a deal that pans out later on, as Google put it so eloquently, “You’re not going to see Glass on your favorite Oakleys or Ray-Bans tomorrow,” but regardless, it’s a step in the right direction if Glass is going to be anything more than an expensive developer/explorer device.

If you’re into using apps that aren’t actually ready for prime-time (a beta or developer build of Chrome, for instance), then you’ve been experiencing all of Google Now’s glory, with the added notifications. However, for the rest of us that aren’t so gutsy, Google Now is arriving for Chrome’s stable version — the most common.

From related info, voice search, reminders for events, flights, TV etc., with location-based cards like commute times and typical Google Now features one may have already been accustomed to on the Google iOS app or current Android phones.

FYI: Don’t worry if you don’t see it yet; updates from Mountain View usually take a few days to roll out.